Supreme 90 Day Check-in and Changes.

After doing about half of the Supreme 90 Day system and trying out all 10 discs, I'm respectfully bowing out... Sort of.

While I've enjoyed the new variety of challenges, there are some specific training goals that I would like to meet which involve going outside of the pre-determined S90Day routines. Those goals include getting back into running and increasing my upper body strength.

Although I was noticing inches lost and biceps starting to bust out of my sleeves, consequently, I also noticed that my overall endurance was, well, pretty shitty. When attempting longer runs (currently 3-4 miles for me since I stopped running regularly a couple of years ago), I just couldn't hack it. I also tried an hour-long Jari Love DVD the other day and quickly noticed how much I struggled to keep up, just 20 minutes in. I still feel the S90Day discs are effective, but they are also quite short, hence not the best daily choice for my endurance training.

I definitely plan on throwing in some of the S90Day discs into my new custom routine though; as much as I hated it, the Ultimate Ball disc proved to be a great core workout and the Tabata Inferno disc is still, to this day, one of the hardest cardio workouts I've ever done.

So what is my routine these days, now that I'm no longer sticking to the S90Day calendar? I'm aiming for 3 days of cardio (primarily running, followed by short/intense intervals of incline walking, stair master-ing and elliptical-ing) mixed with 3 days of strength training. For strength, I'm rotating my Jari Love DVDs. While I liked the idea of working specific muscle groups on separate days with S90Day, I tend to get better results with total-body strength routines and it's really hard to beat Jari in that area (homegirl includes push-ups in all of her workouts, which I need more of). On days where I'm short on time, I'll opt for Jackie Warner, Jillian Michaels, the NTC app or S90Day.

Another reason for my decision to pursue other workouts outside of S90Day was the difference in calorie burn. Between my slower metabolism and my goal to lose about another 8-10 pounds, I really need a higher calorie burn throughout the week which I just wasn't getting with S90Day (exceptions being Cardio Challenge, Tabata Inferno and the longer Back/Biceps disc). After adding gym-cardio and Jari Love back into my routine, I've already broke my weight plateau in just a week.

LASTLY, my exercise A.D.D. got the better of me. I know, "how can a person get bored of 10 different discs, Tam?" It's just the way I roll, I guess. I surprised myself sticking with it for the 40+ days though; I thought I would throw in the towel after 30. So, coming from me, that's actually a good sign.

So that's where I'm at with exercise. I still give S90Day my seal of approval; the price you pay for the number of discs and variety of moves simply cannot be beat. If you're on the fence about trying the program because of the 90 day commitment, consider working the discs into your current routine without following the calendar.

Hows & Whats.

Time for another edition of Hows & Whats.

HOW I'm currently eating:
DISCLAIMER: As with any nutritional plan, always seek guidance from a professional first; this way of eating is what currently works for *me* and may not be the best option for you.

Oh, food. You and I always seem to be at odds, depending on the week and where my head is at. For the time being, I'm aiming for higher protein and less sugar, using Jackie Warner's book as a guide:



I actually bought this book shortly after it was released, just never got around to doing a proper review. I know it probably comes across as just another fad, but it's actually a pretty decent read when it comes to food. And nothing is banned; the main goal is to eat less refined sugar and processed foods, which pretty much every one can benefit from. I'm fond of this plan because it works best for my current way of eating (eat clean for 5 days, then allow for some treats on the weekends), but also forces me to improve my meal composition (less sugar, more protein, more veggies and focusing on whole grains & fruits for carb sources). Each day, I aim to eat 4 servings of lean protein, 3 servings of veggies (though I allow myself more if I want), 2 servings of fruit, 2 servings of healthy carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, pasta, wheat bread or wraps, etc.) and 1 serving of healthy fat (olive oil, nuts, avocado).

It's not rocket science by any means, but since my fitness goals include improving my sprinting speeds and increasing my lean muscle mass, Jackie's nutrition plan is pretty much spot-on for properly fueling my workouts. Before following her plan, I was eating healthy (for the most part), but had cut back on protein and found myself eating more carbs, in addition to drinking more alcohol and overeating on the weekends. Doing so was starting to affect my athletic performance; I just always seemed sluggish whether I was running or lifting and was taking longer to recover, thus bailing on more workouts. Getting back into my protein groove has already kept me from half-assing a session and has kept debilitating muscle soreness in the backseat.

I'm into my second week of following the plan and have noticed a dive in my junk food cravings and my appetite is starting to subside as well. First week, I dropped 3 pounds, so I can't complain. And because there's no counting calories or tracking involved, it's keeping my anxiety and binges at bay. I'm not hungry either, which is kind of a big deal. As with any healthy eating plan, there is some more prep involved (taking time to cut up veggies for snacks & lunch; boiling eggs and mixing protein shakes the night before, etc.), but nothing I haven't had to do before.

HOW I'm currently sweating:
Right now, my routine is pretty basic: 2 days of cardio, 3 days of strength/weights, 2 days of rest. For cardio, I head to the gym and do some sort of mix of the following, for about 45 minutes or so: sprint intervals, incline walking, stairmaster, elliptical or spinning. I try not to do any single activity for more than 20 minutes because I have a confession to make: I'm officially bored with cardio.

Back when I first started to lose weight, I adored cardio and despised strength training. Anyone who's followed me from my LiveJournal days knows this is true. It seems after getting into Jari Love and Jackie Warner workouts, I finally learned to love lifting and compound strength exercises. They just always seem to give me that edge when trying to meet a goal, be it improved definition or fat loss. I STILL meet women to this day who shy away from weights or believe they shouldn't start lifting until they're closer to their weight goal. For any ladies reading this, please, please, please- don't put off this type of training any longer. You will NOT get big and bulky (unless you're getting testosterone injections, lifting 300+ pounds AND eating a steady diet of chicken & creatine supplements). Study after study has proven time and time again that weight training boosts fat-loss efforts, improves performance in other fitness activities and improves bone density. You can scarf down all the milk and calcium supplements you want (*raises hand*), but adding some extra resistance in your workouts will ward off osteoporosis and fractures even more. Running, yoga and Zumba are all great, but don't be afraid to pick up some dumbbells a couple times a week.

Ok, stepping off of my soapbox now.

WHAT I'm currently reading:
Well, technically, all I should be reading is my ACE Personal Trainer Manual, but I need a break from that every once in a while. Right now, I'm pretty much obsessed with Oxygen Magazine. 

I'm letting my subscriptions to Shape, Self and Fitness all expire because I relate to less and less of their content every month. I don't identify with flavor-of-the-month celebs or the numerous underweight models featured on every other page, parading as fitness role models. And when I'm in the mood to read about exercise, I want to read about just that; not flip through dozens of pages featuring beauty products and $500 boots. Can you feel the rage?

Well, Oxygen is not like the others. Forget the anti-aging moisturizers and bring on the butt-kicking workouts! I've gotten 2 issues so far and just reading them makes me feel like a strong, healthy bad-ass. They cover a variety of workout types, share great clean recipes, tell inspiring success stories and feature models who truly do exemplify what eating healthy and working out should look like, without any fluff.

Don't get me wrong; those other women's health mags deserve some credit, but they just seem so shallow to me now. And honestly, if I see another Kardashian being played up to be a source of health/fitness inspiration, I'm gonna need corrective surgery to pull my eyes from the back of my head.

Bonus: You can score a subscription from Magazine Deals Now for a more than reasonable price. (I've used this site tons in the past; it's legit. If you sign up for their mailing list, you get sweet discount codes too.)

What are some of your current Hows & Whats?